


Interlude

by blakefancier



Series: Wanting Series [7]
Category: Captain America (2011)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-03
Updated: 2011-08-03
Packaged: 2017-10-22 04:40:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/233853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set just after "World on Fire." Wherein, God hates Howard and Steve is a good boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interlude

"You have to go, don't you?" Howard asked. "I know it's almost lights out."

"Shh. Not until I've taken care of you." Steve slowly unbuttoned Howard's shirt. And kissed the side of his neck. "Please, Howard, let me take care of you."

How could he say no to that? "I'm done for the night."

"Not everything's about sex." Steve gently drew down the borrowed coat Howard was wearing, then his shirt.

"Liar," he said, in a breathless voice. He couldn't get it up again tonight, but he was still affected.

Steve laughed softly and licked his shoulder. "I have some salve for the scrapes on your back. You can have a shower tomorrow."

He nodded.

Steve finished undressing him, then maneuvered him onto the bed, face down. "Comfortable?"

"Mmm." He was. Howard closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He didn't even stir when Steve cleaned his back with a wet washcloth from his private bathroom (being rich and indispensable had its perks, even in wartime).

When Steve was done, he sat next to Howard on the bed and kissed his temple. The salve was slick and cool and Steve's touch was gentle and thorough. When Steve was done with the abrasions, he slid a finger across his asshole.

Howard drew in a quick breath and his body valiantly tried to respond. "I'm not scraped there."

"No, but it's swollen." Steve gently inserted his fingertip. "Why do you have Bucky's coat?"

He moaned into the pillow. "Do you really want to talk about Barnes? Right now? While you're doing… that?"

"Why not?" Steve asked, gently twisting his finger; Howard was momentarily speechless.

But only momentarily. "You're a degenerate, Captain Rogers. Anyone ever tell you that before?"

"No, but coming from you, that's a compliment." Steve gently removed his finger and patted Howard's ass. "You'll live, soldier."

"Engineer, thank you very much." He yawned.

"All right." There was a slight pause then, 'Why do you have Bucky's coat, Howard?"

"Mmm, brought me home." He was already drifting off.

"Oh."

*****

Howard stared blearily into his cup of coffee and reminded himself that he needed to reach a certain level of intelligence before being allowed inside the laboratory. He gulped down his coffee and grimaced. Water and grounds. How the hell did they mess that up so badly? Maybe he could make his own coffee machine.

"What the hell did you tell Steve last night, Stark?" Barnes sat across from him at the table and glared

Howard closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. Barnes’ voice was like an icepick through his brain. Never again. He was never going to drink that much wine again. He opened his eyes. "Nothing."

"Nothing? Then why did he chew me out last night for not walking you to your door and kissing you goodnight?"

"What?" Maybe he was hallucinating. Maybe he should switch to tea.

"He wanted to know why I hadn't made sure you were safe in your bed before heading off to mine."

"Barnes, go away before I puke on your boots."

“Just tell him to get off my back. Now where’s my coat.”

“Hello, boys. What are we talking about?” Carter, looking alert and absolutely gorgeous, sat next to Barnes.

“Stark stole my coat.”

The universe was playing some cruel practical joke. Or maybe this was punishment for what he did yesterday. He probably deserved it.

“I didn’t steal your coat, Barnes. If you want it, it’s in my workroom.”

“Ah, the den of iniquity.” Carter grinned. “They say that’s where you’ve been taking your latest conquest.”

Panic made his stomach clench and his hands clammy. He fought down a wave of nausea. “A gentleman never kisses and tells, Peggy.”

She leaned in. “Who’s a gentleman?”

Howard smiled, slowly, and leaned in too. “I’d be a gentleman for you.”

“Oh, I know. I’d shoot you if you weren’t.” Carter leaned back and took a sip of her coffee.

Barnes snorted and got to his feet. “Are we still practicing this morning, Peggy?”

“I’ll be right along.” She watched Barnes walk away, an appreciative look in her eye.

Something clicked in Howard’s brain. “You and Barnes? B-but what about…” His voice stuttered to a stop when she gave him an arch look.

“Steve is a gentleman.”

What did that have to do with… oh. Oh, God, he was going to kill Steve. He was going to kill him. Wait. “When?”

“A few months ago.” She looked appraisingly at Howard and frowned. “You look like hell. Are you all right?”

A few months? He swallowed hard. “Fine, I’m fine. I just had too much to drink last night.”

“Of course you did.” Carter finished her coffee and stood.

“You used to think I was charming.”

“You’re very charming.” She patted his head.

He watched her walk out; after all, he wasn’t dead.

Howard was on his third cup of coffee and halfway to feeling human again when Steve sat at the table with a cup of coffee and a tray piled high with scrambled eggs and toast. He fought back a wave of nausea.

“How can you eat that?”

Steve shrugged and placed a piece of toast in front of Howard. “It’s food.”

“Just barely.” He picked up the toast and nibbled on a corner. He watched, half in disgust, half in admiration, as Steve practically inhaled the eggs. He waited until Steve took a drink of coffee, then whispered, “I don’t know whether to kill you or blow you.”

Steve choked.

Howard knew he shouldn’t get so much satisfaction out of that, but he was having a bad morning.

“What… what was that for?” Steve wiped his face and gave Howard a hurt look.

He looked around; almost everyone had cleared out. He leaned in and whispered. “You told Carter?”

“I had to. Howard, I didn’t want her getting the wrong idea. It was the right thing to do.”

Right thing… God, he *was* being punished. “You didn’t think I should know?”

“I was going to tell you. Eventually.” Steve frowned in concern. “Are you mad?”

He should be furious. “No, no, I’m not mad.”

“Are we having lunch together today?”

Howard shook his head. “Can’t today, pal. We’re this close to a breakthrough. I’d be in the lab now, but I needed to be sure I wasn’t going to puke on the new tech. You probably won’t see me much for the next couple of days.”

“Just try to remember that you’re only human, Howard, and that you need to eat and sleep.” Steve smiled at him.

He smiled back. “I’ll do my best.”

*****

Every once in a while someone would shove food in his direction. He didn’t remember eating, but he didn’t remember going to the bathroom either, but he must have at some point. It was hard work and he wished that at the end of it, their efforts had paid off. But they were no closer to reverse engineering the damn weapon than they were a week ago. He tried not to let it bother him, but he had to admit, his ego was bruised.

Ah, well, at least their machine turned on. And twinkled. When Eibermayer burst into tears, he knew then it was time to call it quits. He ordered everyone out of the lab and told them not to come back for twenty four hours.

Then Howard sat down to work on his notes.

“I haven’t seen you for days.”

He gasped, his head jerking up and his heart pounding. “Ouch.” Judging by the way his hand was cramping and how stiff his neck felt, he must have been writing for a few hours. “Now you know how I feel when you and your Commandos go off to destroy HYDRA bases. Is that food?”

Steve wordlessly handed him the package and sat down.

“I’m starving!” He unwrapped the sandwich and bit into it. “Time?”

“It’s three. In the morning.” Steve glanced at his notes. “How’s it going?”

“That’s classified,” he said, flatly.

Steve raised an eyebrow. “Howard, *I’m* classified.”

“Sorry.” He took another bite and stretched. “Badly. It’s going badly.”

“Maybe you just need some rest.”

“Probably.” He sighed and blinked his eyes rapidly. He was practically seeing double.

“C’mon, I’ll give you a back rub if you sleep for a few hours.” Steve held out his hand.

He got to his feet and took Steve’s hand. “Back rub first.”

“Just a back rub, you’re exhausted.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” He saluted.


End file.
